Lidia

Lidia

“It feels great to get support from Rubicon. When I’m feeling down, getting a call from Javier, my Employment Specialist, reminds me that someone cares. That’s been keeping me up and going.”

When Lidia started nursing school, she became her family’s go-to source for medical advice. In addition to the calls about bug bites and sprained ankles, she was also the person her parents and nine brothers and sisters turned to when they needed help with translation between English and Spanish, and advice from everything from college applications to job interviews. When her own job search stalled, however, she realized that she needed her own support system.

While experienced nurses are in demand, new graduates like Lidia have to compete for limited opportunities in hospitals and clinics with training programs. Making the situation even more challenging, Lidia and her husband welcomed their daughter the day after Lidia received her nursing license. “It’s very stressful,” said Lidia. “Between applying for jobs, working at an interpretation agency, volunteering at a hospital, and attending to my baby, I also have to go home, clean, cook do laundry, and answer all of my family’s questions.”

Lidia first came to Rubicon to attend a hiring fair for Fremont Hospital hosted by our Hayward office. After meeting our staff and learning what we had to offer, she decided to take advantage of individualized services offered through our Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act program to boost her job search efforts. After attending a series of introductory workshops, Lidia was paired with Rubicon Employment Specialist, Javier Contreras.

After working with Javier to improve her resume and interviewing skills, Lidia noticed a significant improvement in responses that she was receiving to job applications and her confidence during interviews. One of the best parts of working with Javier, however, has been the support. For Lidia, who is used to being the support person, having someone available help her and cheer her on has helped not only her job prospects, but also her outlook. “It’s a lot easier having support than doing this all alone,” she said. “Javier sends me stuff all the time; employment information, interviewing tips, everything! Just having that support has been keeping me going.”

Lidia is currently a finalist for a spot in a new graduate program at a local hospital. She continues to work with Javier to polish her interview skills, and feels confident that she has the skills, knowledge and support to realize her dreams.